Lowes Travels

• Dec 12 -23, 2023

Having cruised from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, (click Part 1 and Part 2 if you missed our previous posts on this trip) we stopped at Cadiz, our last port in Spain. This was near the end of our cruise, with Portugal being the last country to visit. We made port stops at Lisbon and the Azores before heading back to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Unfortunately, we were unable to dock at Bermuda (shown on the itinerary below) due to a storm. We’ve missed several stops due to storms during our ocean cruises, and it’s just something we’ve learned to “roll” with.

Lisbon

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, but don’t take that to mean it’s stuck in the past. It’s a vibrant and exciting place to visit, and obviously a desirable place to call home for many expatriates who have moved here.  The first thing we noticed is that it’s built on and between hills, so walking here feels similar to walking the steep streets of San Francisco – except that many of these streets are cobblestone. And especially in the historic districts we turned corners to find colorful traditional tiled buildings:

What most caught our attention during our wanderings were the ubiquitous ceramic tiles that dot the city in works of art, and in both old and modern styles. They are called “azulejos” and are a unique type of tiles deeply intertwined with Portuguese culture:

We learned much more about them during our visit at the National Tile Museum, where the story is told of how tiles have been used on walls from the 15th century to the present day.  They became more than just geometric figures decorating walls, even depicting historical and cultural scenes to cover palaces, street signs and shops as you can see in the slideshow samples below.

Another unmistakable thing we noticed was what resided beneath our feet. It was striking to see designs integrated on the cobblestone pavement, one of the most unique forms of urban art in Portugal. It’s called “calçada portuguesa“, a traditional Portuguese pavement construction:

Lisbon is also known for its many viewing points, called miradouros or hilltop terraces. They provide splendid views of the city. One was from the rooftop of the National Pantheon which we visited before meeting up with Kevin and Laura:

The last time we had seen Kevin and Laura was in July 2018, when we were all doing the RV thing in the USA. We were excited to see them again after so long. Over delicious Portuguese cuisine and refreshing beer, they shared captivating stories about their transition to Lisbon and how they liked living here. After hours of catching up, they took us to one of the miradouros, the Miradouro de Santo Estevao. This picturesque spot offers a breathtaking panorama, overlooking the tranquil river, bustling port and the charming Alfama neighborhood below. Our walk up to the viewpoint was an adventure in itself, as we made our way past charming homes and navigated the narrow cobblestone streets that exuded the timeless allure of Lisbon:

Traveling also often leads us to unexpected reunions with old friends. While our meet up with Kevin and Laura was planned, I had an unexpected encounter here with my long-lost hometown friend Norina. Thanks to social media, I discovered that she was also in town, which sparked excitement as we hadn’t seen each other for 34 years. Our big smiles say it all!

Although our ship stayed docked in Lisbon overnight, we didn’t get nearly the time needed to explore enough of this wonderful city. But meeting old friends – both planned and unplanned – was the best part of our experience in Lisbon.

Other notable sights:

Being here in December, we marveled at the Christmas light displays while walking the Rua Augusta (pedestrian street) and Praca do Comercio , Lisbon’s iconic square:

Sao Miguel Island, Azores

Sao Miguel is the main island of the Azores Islands of Portugal, some 800 miles west of Lisbon. Despite being remotely located in the Atlantic Ocean, upon arrival we immediately felt the same great atmosphere we had found in Lisbon.  The weather was (again) not cooperating when we arrived, windy and overcast with intermittent showers.

We joined the included excursion that took us inland to enjoy a scenic drive through the mountain vistas of the Serra Devassa range. The guide took us up the slopes of the Sete Cidades massif, once a soaring volcano until a massive eruption in 1440 blew off its summit. We stopped at the Vista do Rei, the “view of kings,” for magnificent panoramas of the caldera, or what we could see of it through lingering fog. This crater, formed by the long ago eruption, is today home to a trio of dark green-blue lakes, lush vegetation and the tiny village of Sete Cidades:

As you may have guessed the “calçada portuguesa” cobblestone pavement is also present here:

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean

Leaving the Azores, we were looking forward to our port stop in Bermuda but the weather had other plans. We ended up sailing across the Atlantic for 7 days! Not a problem, as we took full advantage of the unending incredible cuisine offered on board. There are three specialty restaurants on the ocean ships: Manfredi’s, Chefs Table and The Restaurant if we want to be served. But we usually prefer the huge buffet at the World Cafe or a burger and salad at the Pool Side Grill. There is also Mamsen’s, a Norwegian-style deli that we occasionally enjoy.

We walked miles on the ship’s walking deck or on the treadmills if the weather was bad. We had to burn those calories before relaxing and rejuvenating at the Scandinavian-inspired spa. There was also plenty of time to play games, listen to music in the lobby and most importantly to do our laundry after days constantly on the go!

On the seventh day at sea we heard an announcement that we would be docking at the Bahamas for a few hours due to a medical emergency. While we were sad for the family who had the emergency, most folks were happy to be back on solid ground – if only for a brief visit:

And just like that, the following morning we arrived at Fort Lauderdale, Florida and disembarked for our flight home to Arizona.

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Till next time – thank you for reading!